Halcyon albiventris
Despite what their name suggests, the Brown-hooded Kingfisher does not feed predominantly on fish – their diet consists mainly of invertebrates, small birds and reptiles caught on dry land and only occasionally includes small fish, crabs and tadpoles. It is a bird of savannas, woodlands, riverine thickets and forest edges and does not need to live near water. They’re becoming ever more frequently encountered in suburban parks and gardens.
Brown-hooded Kingfishers are usually seen singly or in pairs (that often stay in the same area for many consecutive years) or in family groups following the end of the spring-summer breeding season. Their nests are burrows (up to a meter deep) excavated by both parents in river banks or other earthen walls, and in which the female incubates clutches of 2-5 eggs for around 2 weeks. Fully grown they measure around 23cm in length and weigh about 60g.
The Brown-hooded Kingfisher lives in Africa south of the equator, and mainly in the eastern half from Kenya southwards to South Africa (all provinces, though very patchily in the arid central and western provinces and mainly in association with introduced vegetation around human settlements in those parts). Thanks to a large and stable population the IUCN considers the species to be of least concern.
DeWetsWild 
I’m jealous!! Such cool photos!
Ireland has only one species of kingfisher and boy oh boy, they don’t give me a chance of taking photos!!
The one and only time I say a pair sitting still on a branch I didn’t have a camera! 😉
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Thanks, AJ. What kind of kingfisher occurs in Ireland, and does it stay there all year?
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Met hulle diep neste is daardie bek seker ‘n uitstekende pik en graaf
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Ek sal regtig graag wou sien hoe hulle dit doen – krap met die bek en skrop met die voetjies?
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Superb photos of a really beautiful bird! I wish I could see one some day.
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If ever you visit South Africa, Hien, you’d be very unlucky not to see a Brown-hooded Kingfisher!
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Oh, grandma, what a big beak you have! The better to get at my food, my dear! 🙂 But they’re gorgeous to me.
janet
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To us as well, Janet!
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I wish we had Kingfishers – they are so distinctive looking … like little thugs. The kind of bird other birds wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley 😏
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You are so right, Joanne! I bet they can use those beaks to great effect in a tussle!
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Ons het baie van die kingfishers daar in Eshowe gesien. Pragtige foto’s Dries!
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Dankie, Aletta! Ek wil regtig graag daar in Eshowe gaan loer wanneer ons Desember in Mtunzini kuier.
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Jy moet verseker
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Ek sien jy het Tony se king fisher ook gesien. Wou juis dit weer vir jou link. Ou Tony neem darem maar die mooiste fotos. Interessant dat hy die voëltjie vergelyk of langs die kokabara sit. Hul lyk nogal baie na mekaar as mens dit vergelyk. Ek het ook al gewonder wat hul eet as hul so ver van die water af is. Mooi fotos en beskrywing.
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Baie dankie, Ineke.
Ja, Tony se fotos slaan mens se asem weg!
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Ja sê ek ook en hy is so beskeie.
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Pragtige foto’s en Interessante inligting, Dries!
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Baie dankie, Dina!
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It’s a very beautiful bird!😊 Even its not eating fish so is it very like the other kingfishers. maybe lack of fish made the evolution it to eat other food?
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Exceptions such as this non-fishing kingfisher is also fascinating to me, John! Nature hates a vacuum, and this species must have been well-placed to fill the niche.
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Very handsome bird! Amazing that they dig such a big burrow!
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I would love to be able to see how they achieve that!
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You have some excellent shots here!
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Thanks a lot, Anne. Being such a common bird I am surprised I could only manage these few shots that were anywhere close to good enough to post.
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Oh, a beautiful bird! The information is also very interesting and helpful. My husband & I continue to dream of going on a real safari someday. Someday… 🙂
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We will hold thumbs with you, and hope that we’ll be able to welcome you to South Africa soon!
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Thank you for your kind reply!! 🙂
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A stunning and interesting bird! The belted kingfishers that live around here are one of the few birds where the female is more colorful than the male.
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There are always exceptions to the rule out in nature!
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And another lovely bird! I really like the blue!
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Wish I could show you a picture of them in flight – then the blue wing feathers are really flashy!
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What a beautiful bird this is! As if the red beak is not enough, I love the blue feathers.
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Another one of our favourites!
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Gorgeous.
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They certainly are!
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A handsome specimen
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Agreed!
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